Does anyone on here know anything about towing? My car was towed tonight. The car was nose in at a parking lot in 1st gear (MT) with the emergency brake on. When I picked up the car, the e-brake was released but I think the car was still in gear. Can the e-brake be released from outside the car? Is there anything I should look for or be aware of? The car seems to drive the same as it did before but just want to make sure. Any info provided is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

i don't think the ebrake can be released from outside teh vehicle.

 

If they got in and released the emergency brake, they must've of took it out of gear. Or else they lifted your car from the back end and literally dragged your car out of the parking lot. Then you will see a flat spot on your front tires. These guys aren't stupid so your car should be ok.

 

From several of my friends experiences.... I beg to differ..
I've never had a car towed but from what I have heard and witnessed, the "tow'er" could care less about the "tow'ees" car....


Sounds like you came out OK though.

 

I think they jack up the back and put a dolly under the front. Don't know how they got the e-brake off though.

 

They hook the car up, then slim jim the drivers side door. They once they are inside the car they can just release the e-brake and shift to N. Pretty basic stuff. Once in the towers yard(bastards) driver opens your door again and either pulls e brake or puts in gear, usually the e-brake. cause its easier.

 

I have a friend who just recently had a flat tire on his AC Schnitzer (sp) BMW. He parked it in a school parking lot. Not even two hours later we came back and it was gone. They towed it, and I went to pick it up with him and they just destroyed his back bumper. I couldnt believe how much damaged they caused to it.

 

Did you ask the towing company about this? It might be a good idea.

 

Depend on the tow truck driver and their skills with towing. Since your car has a MT, they could have unlocked the door and released the e-brake then shifted the car into neutral.

Alternatively, they could have raised the back of the car and dragged the car out of the parking space by several feet and orient the car so they could now tow by raising the front of the car.

If it was a flat bed tow, they could drag or take it out of gear to get the car out of the parking space and allow them to wench the car onto the bed of the tow truck.

As you can see, many possibilities.

Just check your car for damage. Look for dents, paint nicks/scrapes, bumper or wheel damage. The transmission should be okay given they should not have tow the car more than 15 feet out of parking space with the car still in gear and at very low speed.

 

Check you alignment since yor car was towed it most like will be off

 

I've seen tow truck drivers put dolleys on all 4 wheels and push the car out of the spot where they have all the room they need to put it up on a flatbed. As much as I trulky hate them, they "usually' (not always) know what they are doing.

 

If they did that they would still have to release the e-brake since the emergency brake shoes are on the rear wheels and not the front.

I saw someone towing a BMW the other day and it appeared like they lifted the car in the front but also put a dolly underneath the rear of the car so that they could move it without damaging the gears.

 

I doubt they towed it the entire way in first, there would be a good chance your engine would have been severly damaged, it would have been going something like 9k RPM, and backwards.

As far as the front tires being flattened, is 11:1 really enough to lock em up completly when being forced to move having the weight of the engine over the front two wheels?

 

Does the crank move when the car is being towed???

 

If its in gear.

On car talk a few weeks back someone reported they had towed there pickup accross the state accidently leaving it in reverse. They pretty much destroyed the thing. Overheated, skipped the timing belt destroying the valving, etc.

Yes you CAN overheat without combustion, think about it...9k+ RPM will create a LOT of friction.

 

I thought about doing this but wasn't sure I'd get a straight answer from them. I might still do it this week. The next time I get my oil changed, I'm going to have them take a quick look at the car too to see if they see anything I missed.

Thanks for all the feedback, people.

 

Thanks. I'm planning on having the A-SPEC suspension put in soon and will get an alignment after that.